The joke is based on many case studies of Canadaian scientists not being
allowed to talk to media regarding their research due to changes the Harper
government has made. Nature, one of the largerst scientific journals, has
recently released an article telling the Canadian government to stop
“muzzling its scientists.”

Way to go Rick!!! The recent AAAS Annual Meeting in Vancouver featured an
excellent symposium with Andrew Weaver, Margaret Munro and a representative
from the Union of Concerned Scientists. The new NOAA Scientific Integrity
Policy and the consultation process around its development provide an
excellent model of how things could be.